Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

MIRACLES VIEWS OF AUkH MOBERMSTS BISHOPS ASK6D tq TAKE ACTIION. A cablegram ■ which appeired in Tut .Dosjinion' on Mouduy h-st uni-wu-nced that the Anglican Bishop of Oxford (Dr. Uijvc), in an open letter to tho clergy o£ hid diocese, 4<?ah severely with -modernis;!., viott'g on JvO'V Testament miracles. It b absolutely necessary, -he .says., thai; tho Bishops should discountenance any man continuing in tho csurciso of tlw ministry who disksjievea in miracles.

There fan bo no doubt that a very serious situation may arise i-a tho Anglican Cinircii if tho Bvsfwps decids to carry out the suggestion n-iado by the Bishop of Oxford. Dr. Gore is a man of groat determination a.nd.force pf character. Hβ has the courage of liis convictions, iiud is a recognised lea4w in matters of scholarship, doctrine, C'lurch reform, and social betterment. He contributed a rcnuirka.blo article on "The Holy Spirit and Inspiration" to a book -c-jititkd "Lux Muadi," which <si'eated a sensation *ome years ago,. Seme of tbe "modomist" views lift then expressed caused miicapnin toh-is old comrades Dr. Pu-sscy and'Oiijon Liddon. .Things have amoved since those days, and last year a book called "Foundations, l, writton by seven Oxford men, niado its ayjl)earancc-. 'ts object was to reinterpret Christianity in terms of modern thought. It- did not create so lOTeh i eseitu-ment as "Ijiix Mundi," but considerable un* easiness has been caused in certain quarters by a striking article contri-r butcd to tlio vo'ume by tho Rev, B. H. Strccter, and more especially, to his views on the Resurrection of Christ.

The Resurrection, ■ The book has attracted liiuch ntfcon-! twiij and has nsn tteougb. several edi- i tions. Mr. Streeter deals with the que-s- ' tion with great caution and reverence-, but- finds himself enable to accept with* : out qwilifreation 'tho actual bodily ra■surrection. It i 3 not the fact of the. resurrection, but the traditional explanation of it that Jlr. Streeier <jucbtions. He states that "only if the possibility of personal bo dogfnrtticaily dented can there be ■ any real difficulty In sup-jxising that tho Master woi.ik-1 have been able to oemviiiao His' d'-sciples of His victory over death by some adequate msiiifesKUioiv—possibly by showing Himself to them in some form such as might bo covered by St. PiiuVs phrase, 'a spiritual body'; possibly through some psychological channel similar to that which explains tlio mysterious means of communication hetw«tm po-i'sons eoaitrionly- known as telepathy ; or possibiy in some way of wliic-li at jn-esoiit we hare no concept-ion. On siiei-j a view tho appearances to. tho discipks can only ba styled 'visions' if wo Bioaii by visiou iomAliirag directly caused by. the Lord.flitnsolt rcrita-Wy alivo and personally itt communion w-itli them." Jlr. Strcoter and tlwso who-t-liink vyith them coiitend that tiro essential point is- .not the method of tho Mesurrectieu but tlio fact that Christ is alive for overniore, as is proved by tho witness oi tlio Christian eon-sdo-usnes-s in ail ages. Mr. Sbrccte* , afgiwstliat tbe vary nature of kistorieal ev-id<Juco uialses tie signs—the- appearances and tho e*ipty tomb—-which convinced the test Ascipies, Biofe semoto and kiss cauvine. ing as the centuries pass; btifc "every ! century that passes adds coarictiqn .to that other sign wlrfch is jjiwit us—tlw t vindicatioii in history oiNtii© claims Ho [niade.. ,, .. ...

■at-t'iti. " ;..f A-Petition, ,-■;.,- ; ; "The traditional view of the' New Testament miracios lias been clialleugcd to & greater 4t less esteu'b late years by tlio Eioro advanced section of tiro Broai ClnifiA . party,' who contend that belief in miracles, in the godjraify accsptoc!. meaning of' tie ivord, is ftoVau essential pai'fc of tkn- Christiim faith, The Bishop <j.f Zanzibar ■ (Dr. Tfoston) recently raised a protest against this position, afld at the lacetbg of Canted bury Coiivccatioii in Fobruary a petition was presented to tha Uppci' Hauso by the Bishep tA Lott-dou (Dr. Ing-ram) from -676 Lontloil ofstgy oil the subject of the denial of ifflaLauient-al truths) aiid aslsirig the Bishops to repudiate tlio claim ■oS soma clergy to reject the miracles of tiro Virgin Birth'and actual ilesurrcctioii of Ghii'st's body from tho tomb. The ttSittwr was 330-t discus-scd. The Arehbisli-op of Oamtobyry «aid that ■the Bishop of London hat}. in deciding that any discussion oA those largo antT gravo ijacstious sliouM hx> post-potted, tifl tho nesfc sessien?, ..adding that it must jwt be supposed that bacaase they did .not discuss the- petition Ui»t> day they were treating lightly a matter <:f fundamental afi-d vital imi>of t-aii'-n te tlio Church.

The petitioners, alter "graves anxiety" in eoaisoqueace <jf "the. Tiivrelraked defii.al of certain fsftdanitfiitnl truths'of the ifaiJ.-li by same, who held ftffico in ills Church," proceed tfts follows;— "For the help, t3iere£ore s of ourselves and of ouy _ •we arc driven to ask ouf spiritual fathers*-first to ■ repudiate tho claim of some clergy to feject' the miracles of our Lord's ■birth.of a Virgin mid tho actual Bosittreclion, of His' Bod }, from tho■ toffiil), because wo believe that these truth's lie at the very cent-re cf tie Faith, aad thai tlio statements of the, Biblo and tho Creeds with regard to them afs perfectly plain, and unambiguous."

Statement by the Bishop of Lontion. In presenting the petition, the Bishop of London said: "Books bivo "been.published, arid are being published, by some-of the clergy which.do seem at any rate to deny tho great jmraeles spoken of tit tlw petition, and, although, it is nnt true to,say .that no notice has been, taken of such writings, as in at least three- cases th« authors have been removed from, or hava resigned, tho offices u-liicli they held, and although in individual Dioceses iudividual IMshojjs liavft publicly repudiated such teaching, yet it may ha necessary foi" tho Wsliops t>i the Province a.s a body to nmljo soato statement oji the subject

"leu rnri.y say, "Wliat is wanted?* Here I may qtiote a letter from ono who has taken a prominent ptift lately in voicing tho prevailing mieasinoss on'this subject:—

" 'Sly dear Bisliop,—Ro ModcruisiUr I .gather., that what ChUre.hiHeji w?nt at the. present time is the trfliiisiajimi into popular language of the Lambeth Oenferenoe rosdution that affirms tho iieeessity of tlv> historic ciaases of tte Croeds. Could you uot pdrsuadfl: tiro Upper House, in view of tho present disquiet, to reaffirm t-hat rosotutioß, and so to frame that reaffirmation as te mention the Viffiiu Birtii nntl Bodily R«siMTectioJi of oiii . Lord, and ÜBder tiie ckti'sp, 'Ood of God,' generaHy jo asse.rt His nowerof mirncloand His infallibility as Teacher? If yott cottkl aid in tleinf; this, au cnorttions welfilit would be f-fl-movtid ffoHi men's mimls."

Warning by (Jr. Saftday. It has already bac-u rundo clear that the Bfoiid Ciiureli party will claim fcko fullest: liberty c'f opiuiea that tlio lα*, , of tins Church, allows, aiid stroug resistanew would be shown to any attempt to. l)cuaiis«) such vievys aa others puii forwanl by Mr. Strfiotor in ''Foujidatioris, , ' l'vofessor Sanday, Margaret Professor <si' Divinity at Ojrford, iyho (s o«o of tiio grbatest Jiviftg Ntift' Teatamont scholars, lias raised, a.note of wawikg, iis a 'ettcr to tlio London "Times.". Eo» '. forring to tUe Bishop of Zanaftar'S coitsments ou "Fouudatfons" ho writes:-— "I acOTUut for this by isolatioii, ai.id. iha , trying coiiditkng of worls'i« Utc tropes. If tli© Bishop kii spent %■ l»st t«i years at ijooira I itiiisi. iifiods I think that "he would liar?' a- dii&ftj-ttt j

impression both, of the- -book that lij» condemns aikt of what it Baucis for-. Her«, tooj Ih.o iaii.sunders-t.rind.iii); -goes deep, and it wouM require little less than a- tli-ssartatiou if I were to atteiu-pt wholly to remove it. ilrt I would saj in all sefiouß-iioss iliafc (intess ft legitimate place a i|.- can bo. found ior UwM-vaen, Ujc- days of tho Church of JJuglantt— iind even of wider/ Uitcr-esls-be iim-übcml." . Dγ, Rashrtail and qisliop pere. Dr. Hustings JRjslldaH, L-aiwii of uorworii, oi?.e of nit) i-ecC'-gB-isea leaders ot ilingaelj pwiosopiitcial tuwghi, c-S* presses-4iuiibutf oTvti inoro wujM-uflsea.ay uian Dr. i>,inday. In tiio caiiivsd oi u. letter to Ur) "Times" ins sl-atcs :— 'J.'ho Hisksji of- Oxiord sjfion ih-i-s OKltuatiou as deacon iMumely iwehiiwl tluit lia i-ini-oigiioa-ly ucticvcu ail thy cittionical BcM|Umos of tno UM toll Now i'estisfficuit, itc- li-j.s giuco iu. a puuusiwi irriuMg described certain litstaiik-l state* matte contained in tj»© earlier ctetfUSrs of tlio tiiMe as "mytiij," ami has in reC«nt. lectures at Ustord expressed his disbelief- in {ill' •β-j? inaiiy , " Vi tilts iOlil'. •I'esta.uient iiiiracfcs, -or lias at fcn-st riHi.ittt'H thai the iiislorit»al. -evidence -for them is insufficient to justify their Wiug insisted ojj. tew- iji trie laco ol ! Micro facts tlio BiViop can bring liimeoU It) declare that Kw "cojiosion «f Wro Otorpli ■d 1: Engkiid" is being tiri'oat-enisJ. taausa "tile eriltual Sctiool k .inatotaiutug ihii.i it is legitimate j'er a ele-vgj'iiittn to Ivokl his oilioiai position witilo repudiating in imblis'iied ivj'iK-.ngis tlio -iwraofes in which Jio rimst affirm iris feelicf ea.cii time la saj-s tlio Cfeed" it- passes m.y coinprc-lien-stou to un.ctcrs-t-aiid. . ■. . I'he Bishop doos not say preeiscily who am meant by "ttws critical school," : but «s it is the vvritofs ef ''l-'outtdtttfaais" who wore specially attacked by the Bisho.p oi '/jsitmhsr it- 'liiay i)d prt'Sttj-iicd t-lini they are β-risiarily i-nteiiied, or at le-asC tfea-t' they aro iiieiuded itt tlio BislKtp ei Oxford's oandonittatiaiiv I may tiwre* fore ho alfovved to. jiainb'out tiwt lioithw , Mr. Strecto' nor »ny el'hor writof in "FoHisdatioiis" tes denied -any artioia of tho Apostjcs , ov of toe iNitene Grewi, ttioag-k t-Jwy do ui-to-rprot soiiifi \>f'tlie-ii , clauses iu a sense QVpo-soi to traditianai opinioiß. 3. stootild iifeo to add that- J, quite agrca with tho Hish<?.p's. principle Uiafe 110 seet-ioji af (he t!lui.vuli ■of England -must push its owii jai'iiciplbs -to a point at which -they tew.Sao "lcally intolerable to the main body o,V their ■follew-mom-lffirs, ,, if by that ia ineaiit.a iiqtirt to ether sections tho liberty which it claims fop itself.,' This point would certainly' l» reached if the Church of Euglaffil to oousewt to - tua abolitMii el' Epis-t ■cojyaey- I'o-v rtself, or'to eonie fcttiial as-eort-ioii of its nen-iiccessity, lloir its co'k-esi-oit can be wikiiigurett bfitiawse iV particKlar Bis'lior; and a few ibiesifliuir!«s have ou a pa-rt-i-uiila-r cecasioii coinjnunieated mih lMiii-einßcopalians in in Central Alricu, I am at a less to lin-dcTsta-nd. Its whcstoi would sciu-'i-l!}', be tteattued if "Uio. oritic-a-l hoI-umL" soiucht to pfoveiit -tiitj Bi-siio:]) of Osfowl t'roin i-e.ei\in.g tlio existing Creeds ami mterfljelinu thoin as he pfcasos or to eo»n»l tW BisJiop oi 1 Zau«rb-ar to invito' MOu-ephsEopaiiaiis to ou!»Muvdoate with liiui. Bui 1 iail to ufldcrstnitd how it is thtoitottexl hecaaso Sir. Streeter's ceirsfciuiici} allows him to recite i'he same Creed ji-i ChiircJi bvjU to intorpret it diitoroutly from tho Bis-tep. If all elergyniett who lwH liositiews "vw* tolerable Cβ tho main body of their kl-law-nnstabora,' at n giveii uwiuont had icon <Jri«sn out oi' tlio Clrarch of Ebs* tod in 1870 when fto Bishop was ordained, or ia I«SP wltou "Lux JLmidi'■ was p'bUslied, aa tlw Bishop wo'ui-d like to liim owt tlio critical sscheol of tho jTsrcsftßi., it is to bo feared tSuit—to the great loss of ilw Ohurak— ft<s Sno oi Oxford would not liosv bu -oce.u-triod lay, Di'. Charles Gere. la conete-iwij .£ should like to call attention to the »oeuJial- chaTiwto ;6? v .tii& wlu.di tlw JJishop of Oxfo-hl v>.Mi>oscs for tho It:is of "cohesion" in tlw Churoli oi lina" land- TH-0 propescs to euro tlio <lfen\w< tivo toudciicics «f tfiirt Ctofch V>y cansin* 3U actaaj tlisntption; foi - tho ''entieal school" a-t Jqast (wbatover may bo 't]w case ffrth -tlio other "ostreino. sections) arc not, it appeal's, to l>o iilloAvod to sa-vo t!i«msfilves by atalam-uig from- actions such its thafc of tno two Afrieto Bishops.- They—that us to bay, a body or' probaMy somo Imndiwls of: olergyitiDn—afo - tt> bo iemod out en awOTint -or their bu-ro epifiions, Iwsvovcr moderately expressed. This could own bo brought about by a serios of -presectitioas 4 tlicy certainly will not go oira to oblige tho Biskip «'f Oxford. It is this desire to swpiwoss all opiiuons cxcetrt those or tiro dominant inajonty, which coiislitntcs the roa! daiigof w> colwision in Uic Chuicli of Eaglana.'

the Gospel MiratliiSi "In this controversy a great deal do Vends upon the moaning of tho word "miracle" and tho jitoprotatbn o£ the .vnitraonJoiisclei.ii.ert oJ tho gospels.. ii disttoguistal medcra sdcuvisli states that ou general lines it iseoins imsdciyfci■fic to Bay that any sperifio miracle did not er.cwiW not tavo occurred, Tlioro is bo warrant in science or in anything eiso that we kftow for sayiujj thiitt miraeks do Hot occur. Ko man Uuosvs eiloitgh to-bft entitled to say so. The matter resolves itself hlto a. q.testi.oii. of ovitoiCO. ■ In Ws book -oa "The-Per-son of Our Lard nndßccent Thouglit"' tho Rev- C. ¥. Ntflloth declares that' "tto belief 'that oisr Lord worked miracles forms m original [part *>i the ftospel tradition, Stateuie'ftts to ttat effect are an integral portion of t-b.o 1 Pefrino Mark Gospel vt'Mi its sjiwjnio parallels. V?c way tli&rcfofo take? It ys a\> adwiitted fact thai tho eHeet Christian tyaditioa vepresents Chris* as a : Viiriwr of- .iniractes."' • Bousset says? "Our GoSjiel ti-aditifln 3ia? ina4e i3Urisfc ■ a lniraclc-wej-lsei" in tho •estiaattl-'mary-and absoJuta settsc. Sore H& is the Suiiernatura] San of God, Who fritin-i-out any .psyclrol&giciil jnetliatie.H, tlvreet* i Iy lays hold ti bodily life, AVho wakes the ifeiKl, Who wivlfe en tho s&i-., . . •■ ■for Whom there an? no limits of pos- : HibiJrfcy," Ti» attitutlo of Chifetk* thinkers towards miracles has certaiirtv I uiidwaOM a great clwvig© in v«cbn* ; vcafs.' Mr. Nolloth tdls ns that ."♦« tiin present dar, iiithoilgli niiractes arn I still widely recognised 39 elements .*it tho lifo of Christ, w'Wdi few© to bo «e----cmvnted for, and 'which go to form tM pienii-ij whith Sβ presents to tk« i thouffhtful Wind, yck they arc rogai'dci from qutto ft djtewnt poi.Bt fit «ow. Instead of si'Sflivig from Uu* n.waclo' to ■Christ, the hukit k rathef tu argue I from Christ to tlw mitacte. So far froiu the mkaole iwssesSfng ihc, pem-ftK-to c@mtno.ttd a ftiyins Christ to «s, V<> reqittTo Him to inato th« iniriiolo itsofE credible. Th<> process is ix}vei»,sed. And on the whole the modern sta-nd:- • point is one which is inoro trtie to tho ■wit«rt» ef tlte ease, T-ho Person »f Christ is the wraolo o.fmiwelpis. Tha wor'ks which Hβ perfonti-s ki tlw etoffso of His winktrj- iire the natural festttfc of tho centaot of siK-h a Po-ratsnaß* with the MPoespities of man," JhVNoJ* loth csiitMids that ih" tosttooiiv to tlie iiistorio. ctoactff «f tlu? gospel inirncles is liTought to "flbmvt ns ivear. Wug ii%t' hand as it is iiossible to V." Tliis very fairJy osjiresses Iho. ai'tiinflo of a. very ami inflnwittti] section of MKlicftii ftjsmion as roprosrartcd by -sclwlars of th« liiofcro soivaol, who f(f%aeftopt flu? anollieils of t!» hiflior eriticism whilo lioldhiK to tlio Doit.v of Cijris.t as set forth in tho Aposttns .sr.jul Nicciie CVectk. It is firacticaH-y tW view of Professor S.nnday, a«4 lamfeaUy Ifr. Streetef woulijt lavo voty Irttlo to Say ftßaiKSt it, So bettevca that tlic* essential olenienb in belief in mirnefo is that.. it js ah ■gee.urr.en'e* "which ■•tliOUgh froiii tho point of vioSv of GoS it ijwj passiMy be'. d6tonftine:d, and jn that- sciise can bo .regarded a.? Jii: acoordanco with taw-, is froiii Vlro vin* ■of man, aad as it stands tckted 'to tlm ros't of ojlr n -spepial iinsl 'ad h?»' maiiifetat.ion or itttervrtitiou o.t t'ho piv'iwn, lor a dclinile t-usjctlijeally, dctesfflificd." • ■• ■ ■•

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19140418.2.93

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2126, 18 April 1914, Page 9

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,567

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY. Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2126, 18 April 1914, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY. Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2126, 18 April 1914, Page 9

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert